Stevie Stone

Raised in Columbia, Missouri, before settling in St. Louis, rapper Stevie Stone first encountered music through his mother, a singer and choir director whose early exposure to gospel, blues, and soul shaped his path. Balancing athletics with creative pursuits, he played basketball competitively while also studying piano and drums. An offer to join a junior-college squad in Iowa was set aside after he was invited to perform as an opener weeks before his planned departure, an experience that ignited his passion for the stage and prompted a full commitment to rap. In 2007 he joined Ruthless Records, which issued his debut album, New Kid Coming, in 2009. He soon departed the imprint for Tech N9ne’s Strange Music, an independent rap powerhouse recognized for its touring focus and direct connection with listeners—qualities that aligned with Stone’s own performance-driven approach and aided his artistic development. His second full-length, the introspective Rollin’ Stone, appeared on Strange in 2012, entering the top hundred of the Billboard 200 and boasting guest turns from Tech N9ne, Krizz Kaliko, Yelawolf, Hopsin, and others. The Momentum EP followed months later. Summer 2013 brought his third studio album, 2 Birds, 1 Stone, which featured additional Strange Music affiliates and climbed into the top fifteen of both the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop and Independent charts. Another personal project, Malta Bend—titled after the Missouri town of his birth—arrived in 2015. After maintaining an annual release pace, Stone allowed more time for his fifth album, Level Up, which surfaced in 2017 and showcased his gruff voice across both rapping and soulful singing. The following year he explored trap sounds on the collaborative project Kontra-Band, recorded with Strange Music labelmate JL.